News from iave a message from the World President (p. 1)
Download 60.5 Kb.
|
- Navigate this page:
- A Message from IAVE’s
- GCVC Company Spotlight
|
News from IAVE
News from IAVE Members
The start of a new calendar year brings with it for many the tradition of making resolutions, a list of commitments – to one self or others – that will be acted on or achieved during the coming year. These are often triggered by the reflections of hindsight, a looking back on the ‘year that was’ and identifying those things that are, or were, less than what we hope for and which we want to change for the future. As I thought about what resolutions I might make for the year ahead I reflected on the opportunities that 2015 offers for IAVE to further our mission to promote, support and celebrate volunteering and the incredible responsibility, indeed privilege, that it is for me and my board colleagues to steer this. I was reminded also of the importance of valuing what has gone before and the history that others have given us, for it is that which has led us here. The Power of Humanity: 100 Years of the Australian Red Cross 1914 – 2014 is Melanie Oppenheimer’s scholarly centenary history of the Australian arm of what is undoubtedly the best known voluntary movement in the world, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and is among the reading I began my year with. Even as I read the opening pages I was struck by the enormity of the legacy that a simple ideal can have, the difference that small actions but huge determination can make, and the necessity for organizations to respond to, adapt to, and initiate change if they are to survive, evolve and continue to serve their founding purpose. So as IAVE celebrates its 45th year I can share with you my resolution for 2015 is to work with the IAVE Board, Secretariat, members and stakeholders to build on IAVE’s history and strengthen it. IAVE’s current strategic plan runs to 2015, so as well as fulfilling an ambitious work plan this year IAVE will commence a strategic planning process that will see us, with the input of our stakeholders, examine our history, our current journey and our resolutions for the future. You will hear more about this process later in the year. As I wish for you a happy, purposeful and prosperous 2015 I ask you to remember that the resolutions we make today, form part of the history of our tomorrow. A Message from IAVE’sWorld President, Kylee BatesIn This Issue December-January 2015 E-IAVE We Need Your Stories: 500 Days, 500 Ways Take our survey to provide your views, and join the UNV collaborative platform on the 10 Year Plan of Action to participate in further discussions and exchanges on integrating volunteering in the next decade. In 2012, the UN General Assembly requested "the Secretary-General to [present] a plan of action to be developed by the United Nations Volunteers program to integrate volunteering in peace and development in the next decade and beyond [...]." (A/Res/67/138). The United Nations Volunteers program (UNV) has put together a Zero Draft of the 10-year Plan of Action 2016-2025 to integrate volunteering in policies and programs through a more purposeful, strategic and collective long-term approach. This Zero Draft has taken into account a variety of input and feedback received from a wide range of stakeholders since the International Year of Volunteers (IYV) in 2001 and particularly during its tenth anniversary in 2011 and beyond. UNV is now collecting feedback on the Zero Draft to revise the Plan before submission to the UN General Assembly in 2015. Your Opportunity for Input to the UNV 10-Year Plan of Action on Volunteering  Back in August, IAVE partnered up with volunteer organizations around the world to bring you the 500 Days, 500 Ways campaign. 500 Days, 500 Ways is a website that aims to highlight the various ways in which volunteering supports the Millennium Development Goals. August 18, 2014 marked 500 days until the end date for the MDGs, and since then volunteer stories have been featured daily on the 500ways.org website. This month, IAVE is in charge of moderating the site and we want to hear from you! Share with the world your volunteer story! We want to know how your volunteer efforts support sustainable development in your community! Be heard by millions throughout the world and help highlight the importance of volunteerism to the MDGs. Please email your stories to Jessica@iave.org with text and an image (must be at least 1800px x 1000px). Additional photos, videos, and other media formats are welcome! To Learn More about Corporate Volunteering in Russia IAVE recently published a special report on corporate volunteering in Russia, developed in cooperation with the Centre for Study of Civil Society and Non-Profit Sector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow. You can read the report here. 
Corporate Volunteering Forum in Russia: Business & Society [We are pleased to present this report on a major conference on corporate volunteering held in Moscow, Russia in December. IAVE Senior Consultant Kenn Allen was invited to speak at the conference but due to schedule conflicts could not attend. Rather, we developed a 13-minute video that enabled him to speak from a distance.] On November 27, 2014 "Russia Today" media center held the 3rd Annual Moscow Forum "Corporate Volunteering: Business and Society", a focal event related to volunteering in Russia. More than 500 guests attended the Corporate Volunteering forum. Representatives from major domestic and foreign companies (Megafon, Uralvagonzavod, Rusal, Leroy Merlin, SC Novard, Mechel, Moscow Exchange, GFK, VTB 24, Russian Railways, the CRIC, RBC, Alfa-Bank, etc.), non-profit sector, and both the executive and legislative branches of government were all present. Heads of relevant government agencies, scientists and artists, and members of major volunteer assistance beneficiary groups were also in attendance. Participants discussed the development of corporate volunteerism in Russia, the efficiency of corporate philanthropy and volunteerism programs at the present stages, and the positive experiences garnered from corporate social responsibility. It was concluded that large multinational companies that practice corporate volunteering, play an important role in the volunteer community on a domestic and international level. Today, many businesses have the potential and the necessary resources needed to effectively engage in corporate volunteering. Moreover, non-profit organizations have the knowledge and technology to provide the necessary support to corporations looking to volunteer. Public authorities and institutions have also expressed interest in developing corporate social responsibility programs and to form cross-sector partnerships to aid in its development. Participants at the forum concluded to establish the National Council on Corporate Volunteering. Moreover, individual companies plan to develop merit systems to recognize volunteer work of their employees. These companies also aim to create flexible conditions for employees to volunteer, as well as to establish possible coordinators for volunteer activities within their respective companies. Participants will also work to develop corporate volunteering provisions and regulations as well as assisting Mosvolunteer Resource Center in creating education corporate volunteer programs and contests. To learn more about the forum, click here.  Hilton Worldwide, a GCVC company for the past several years, recently celebrated its third annual Global Week of Service, the company’s worldwide annual volunteer event, with 3,500 social, economic, and environmental service projects in 86 countries. Global Week of Service provides team members and franchise partners with the opportunity to showcase the company’s culture of service and community hospitality. This year’s theme focused on two company commitments – youth opportunity and living sustainably. Over 1,100 properties and corporate offices in 900+ cities around the world completed a wide array of projects. Hilton worked with a network of community-based organizations, in addition to more than 2,800 local organizations. Here are some examples of Global Week of Service projects worldwide: Americas In the United States members from the company’s Embassy Suites brand sponsored seven projects with 42 participating hotels and 210 volunteers, including resume review and interview skills sessions for young people and job seekers. Volunteers from Hilton San Francisco celebrated the hotel’s 50th anniversary by assembling more than 24,800 meals. In Mexico City, 50 Doubletree by Hilton volunteers spent 350 hours repairing rooftops, installing a playground, and conducting workshops for children and their caretakers at SOS Children’s Villages.
In the United Kingdom, more than 110 volunteers donated 880 hours to create a sensory garden and transform the grounds of the Woodfield School for disabled youth in London.. 370 volunteers from 14 Hilton Worldwide properties across the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman collaborated with the diving organization PADI, environmental agencies, tour operators, and residents to organize cleanups across the Arabian Peninsula. Together, the teams collected more than two tons of debris. In Egypt, over 50 volunteers from Hilton’s Cairo properties and corporate office contributed 700 volunteering hours to launch a soap-recycling venture with Ana El Masri, a social enterprise that supports, educates and empowers children at risk. Asia Pacific Volunteers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia educated the public on the importance of water conservation and stewardship in partnership with Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn. Bhd. (SYABAS), the company responsible for local water supply and distribution. In Beijing, China, volunteers partnered with the Zhe Jiang Xin Hua Compassion Education Foundation to organized a tour of Hilton Beijing Wangfujing to underserved college students, introducing them to opportunities within the hospitality industry and internships at the hotel.
See more photos and stories from the events here. GCVC Company SpotlightHilton WorldwideSarah Hayes, Consultant Director, IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council This important resource, which was distributed in Arabic at the Oman regional conference, is now available for download in both English and Arabic as a free e-book. The study was written by Dr. Patricia Nabti, IAVE Regional Representative for the Arab Nations, as part of The Arab Initiative to Foster a Culture of Volunteering. It was written to serve a diverse readership:
Its purpose is to provide knowledge, inspiration, recognition, and guidance to support the development of corporate volunteering by companies based in the Arab region (not foreign companies with representation there). It not only looks at companies that have corporate volunteer programs, but also considers three other stakeholders that are important to the development of corporate volunteering: organizations that engage volunteers, institutions that provide infrastructural support, and governments, identifying models whose efforts are worth highlighting. The study concludes with some important recommendations for companies, employees, actual and potential community partners, governments, university business schools, and other supporting institutions.  Corporate Volunteering in the Arab Region By Dr. Patricia Mihaly Nabti “Only an estimated three percent of Russians volunteer, but sixty percent of Muscovites are ready to volunteer” is what IAVE World President, Kylee Bates learned on her recent visit to the Russian Federation. Hosted by Mosvolunteer in December Kylee participated in a packed program. To mark International Volunteer Day she presented the ‘Social Volunteer of the Year’ Award to an exemplar young person for her volunteer work with those in need in front of 1,000 of her peers at the IV Moscow Volunteer Congress. She met with official from the Moscow Department of Culture which is leading many of the government initiatives to promote volunteering and spoke at the Russian State Social University conference Student youth: who will change space at the university? That is promoting the benefits of volunteering to its 80,000 students. Kylee reported that she was “truly thrilled” to meet with IAVE members in the State Duma and hear from them of their activities and goals, including the growing interest in corporate volunteering and the successful Corporate Volunteering Forum held the week prior. Kylee admitted that she was particularly inspired by her visit to two volunteer run organizations: Integration – a service for people with disabilities and Russian Union of Rescuers – a critical emergency services organization that trains civilians to work with professional emergency services workers in times of crisis. “Both organizations were outstanding in their drive to ignite a passion for volunteering in others and their determination to demonstrate best practice in their fields.” Kylee’s parting comment on her whirlwind visit, “If the energy and appetite for volunteering is successfully transmitted to others it may not be very long before sixty percent of Muscovites are volunteering.”
IAVE thanks Moscow Multifunctional Youth Center and Mosvolunteer, who hosted and provided the financial support for Kylee’s first international engagement as President. Thanks also to Galina Brodenkova, IAVE National Representative for Russian Federation and long-time IAVE champion who convened the meeting of IAVE members. 
World President Welcomes International Volunteer Day in Moscow News from IAVE Members Volunteering and Celebrating on IVD 2014: Hong Kong Flora Chung, Chief Executive Officer, Agency for Volunteer Service, IAVE National Representative for Hong Kong The International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2014 was marked with both actions and recognitions in Hong Kong to celebrate volunteerism and to inspire greater volunteer participation. Themed “125 IVD We Go Volunteering”, the Action Campaign organized by Agency for Volunteer Service (AVS) encouraged the public to volunteer on the Day in any form. To stimulate more volunteer actions, “101 Ways of Volunteering” was cited to illustrate volunteering could happen in any place, anytime and in any way. To keep the momentum rolling, the public was invited to share their volunteering stories on the social media and AVS 125 IVD Facebook fan page. The momentous event on 5 December gathered people from all walks of life to showcase the diversity and rewarding experience of volunteering activities. Hand-knitted scarves by volunteers were presented to the elderly to give warmth with loving care in the cold winter day. Mr. Matthew Cheung, Secretary for Labor and Welfare Bureau of HKSAR Government graced the occasion to express his strong appreciation to the value of volunteering. The Volunteer Recognition Gala 2014 at night, officiated by Mr. Tsang Tak Sing, Secretary for Home Affairs of HKSAR Government, presented awards to the outstanding volunteers. 3 distinguished members of AVS Hong Kong Community Volunteers received the Outstanding Contribution Award. 3 professionals including a lawyer, an architect and a nurse, were given The 2nd Leadership Bauhinia Volunteer Award that was to recognize professionals and senior executives who have rendered distinguished volunteer service. The Heroic Volunteer Award was conferred to a Hong Kong citizen who had demonstrated great courage and fortitude in risking his own life to rescue the Israeli tourists at a serious train accident in Switzerland. Some 600 volunteers and guests participated in the Gala to celebrate the volunteer achievements, sharing the joy and vigor of volunteering and enjoying the variety of performances. About 40 sponsored newspaper advertisements, supplement, video and web promotion on MTR and buses covered IVD paying tribute to volunteers and spreading the message of “125 IVD We Go Volunteering”. Click here for more Information.
  Sharing Stories with Saudi Arabia’s Youth Mark Molloy, Scotland, former Youth Representative to the IAVE Board of Directors As part of the International Volunteer Day celebrations that took place across the world in December, I was kindly invited to attend and speak at the official event for Saudi Arabia that was being held in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. The WARIF, a forward thinking and innovative youth organization that is part of The Princess Al’Anood Foundation in Riyadh organized the event. The event was organized jointly with the local United Nations Development Program office and was held in the United Nations Embassy. Over 100 leaders, volunteers and young people attended the event from all sectors including government, NGO’s, private business and most importantly young volunteers. The event heard from a number of young volunteers who described their experiences of volunteering in their communities and making a difference. From me as a guest to Riyadh from Scotland it was remarkable how similar the stories where to the sort I hear from young people I work with in Scotland- also the passion and energy the young people spoke with is the same passion and energy I heard at the recent IAVE youth Conference in Gold Coast but is also a common theme when you hear any young volunteer speaking anywhere in the world- they can describe the challenges they faced by tell us how using their creativity, energy and passion they overcame this to make a difference. The stories I heard also addressed some of the social issues in Saudi Arabia, but again these issues are global issues that are relevant in any country in the world. A young boy spoke about the kind deeds he done to help homeless people he seen on the street- doing something as simple as providing them with a cold or hot drink. A young lady spoke with such enthusiasm about the work here and her friends are doing across Saudi Arabia to help stray/abounded animals and she described how they started with little resource except themselves and how they are now in discussions with the government about expanding the program they set up. The stories that I heard from the young people where matched by passion by 1 of the keynote speakers. Dr. Yousef from the Princess Al’Anood Foundation spoke so energetically about the role young people have in shaping the future for their country and how young people can make a difference through volunteering. I was very grateful to have received an invitation to the event and I used the opportunity I was given to speak to tell the audience about IAVE and its unique mission to connect volunteers globally together and spoke about the developing youth programs and how they can get involved to connect with other young volunteers. I was very pleased to be able to talk about how young representatives from WARIF attended the IAVE world conferences in London and Gold Coast and it was important for young people form the Arab Region to have their voices heard globally. I am currently in Riyadh for 4 months working with the team at WARIF and Princess Al’Anood Foundation on a major event and this was due to the connections that IAVE has and it shows how being involved in a unique organization like IAVE really can give you opportunities that you would never have thought was possible. Every year, around the 6th January, the last Christmas day called Epiphany, more than thousands of Carol Singers (age 8 to 14) go round the neighborhoods dressed festively and follow the star. From almost all Catholic parishes all over Germany the children bring the blessing to the people by writing the sign ‚C+M+B’ on doors (‚Christ bless this home’), singing carols and asking for donations for poor children from all over the world and receiving some sweets for themselves. In 2014 the country focus was Malawi and the children from 11.075 parishes collected about 44.5 million Euros for worldwide projects with children in the fields of education, health, nutrition, social integration, pastoral work and relief. This year the focus country was the Philippines. In the parish in Freiburg, where I live, 8 groups of Carol Singers, nearly 40 children, amongst them two volunteers from Ecuador, collected almost 11.000,-€ in three days. That’s amazing. Since its beginning in 1959, the campaign has developed to the biggest solidarity movement by children for children worldwide. More than 902 million Euros have been collected since then, about 67.000 projects and relief programs for children in Africa, Latin America, Asia, Oceania and Eastern Europe. The German Chancellor, the president of Germany and of the EU Parliament in Brussels and the presidents of the Bundesländer welcomed Carol Singers.
Carol Singers’ Campaign: The biggest solidarity movement by children for children worldwide Eugen Baldas, Head, German Caritas Association’s Volunteer Sector; IAVE Vice President; IAVE Regional Representative (Europe) 
Commemorating the December 5th International Volunteer Day, Toshiba Corporation and its worldwide group of companies encouraged the Group’s 200,000 employees to participate in voluntary activities named “Simultaneous Social Contribution Action”. Since 2006, the company has designated December as CSR month to remind the employees and stakeholders of its guiding principles of real engagement with society. Mr. Hisao Tanaka, President and CEO, repeatedly emphasized CSR since his appointment in June 2013 and lead this company action on the IVD 2014 to make a difference. He commented, “…. What each individual can do is small, but a groundswell of social contributions can be generated if all 200,000 Toshiba Group employees join forces.” According to reports until the end of December, more than a half of the employees has reported their personal commitment to contributing a better world by participating in a wide range of voluntary activities. In Japan, program included to support a kindergarten in Tanzania for collecting donations and prepare materials for use in the school, to promote human rights for children, to continue support for the recovery of the 2011 earthquake, etc. In China, the employees of 30 companies promoted environmental stressed and recycling. In America, they participated in Soles4Soles, an anti-poverty campaign and contributed over 5,000 pairs of shoes and clothes to charity. In India, cleaning up public areas, in Singapore they supported a home for disadvantaged children, in Brazil, extended a helping hand to the homeless. Actions were conducted in France, Germany and over the world. “Simultaneous Social Contribution Action” in 2014 was productive to increase awareness about CSR and to strengthen a sense of solidarity in all Toshiba”, Mr. Takashi Yamashita, Head of Social Contribution Team, CSR Office, commented at the meeting, Dec. 26th, 2014. Companywide Corporate Volunteering at Toshiba Akiko Seto, President, IAVE Japan, IAVE National Representative for Japan 
The Power of Volunteering for Professionals Program Meshall Almogbel, Warif, IAVE National Representative for Saudi Arabia In 2012 an agreement was signed between the General Presidency of Youth Welfare in Saudi Arabia and the Alanoud Center for Youth Development-Warif, which resulted in several youth developmental programs to enrich the thinking of Saudi youth in the different regions of the Kingdom. These programs aim at improving youth volunteer programs, benefiting from GPYW facilities, and forming a database of outstanding youth to be an important reference to participate in both national and international programs. The Power of Volunteering for Professionals Program is considered one of the most important programs resulting from that agreement. It is one of the regular competitive programs at Warif, targeting volunteer groups of both genders in the different regions of Saudi Arabia. By professionals here we mean youth (18-30 years old) who already have good experience in volunteering. This program is implemented over a period of 6 days, for five hours per day, with a varied schedule of training courses, workshops, field trips, and practical application on the ground. The trainers, trainees, coordinators, and judging committee in the program are carefully selected via precise strategies and mechanisms to maximize the success and impact of the program. Among the most important factors in selecting the program participants is a strong record of volunteer and professional experience, since we at Warif strongly believe in the importance of professionalism and excellence at work in general, so we see it is even more important for us to care about these principles in volunteering matters that can develop the humanitarian spirit in youth. The first day for the program's participants begins with a training course called The Power of Volunteering. It explains what volunteering is, the importance of the culture of volunteering for youth, the development of volunteering skills, and the problems that may affect volunteering and how to avoid them. This is followed by a two-day professional workshop during which the participants learn how to plan and implement volunteer projects. After that, they participate in groups to actually implement volunteer projects that have been planned in advance, over a period of no more than three days. Warif plays a major role in supervising these volunteer projects and facilitating all legal proceedings that may be needed by the participants in the program. The program ends with the groups submitting their volunteer projects to be evaluated by the judging committee, after which the committee announces the winning groups in the closing ceremony in the presence of the participants and their families. In this ceremony, the Center honors all of the participants and gives the awards to the first place winners. This event takes place at the Princess Alanoud Foundation Center when the training is in Riyadh. The program has been implemented three times in different cities of the Kingdom with a total of 18 training courses, training 143 volunteers who do a total of 1131 volunteer hours, resulting in 21 volunteering projects all around the Kingdom. 
Ruach Tova (The National Volunteer Center of Israel) is hosting a webinar on how to use large-scale events to promote, recruit and retain volunteers. Kaynan Rabino will be leading the webinar and discussion and will share tips and best practices. Using Good Deeds Day as an example, he will show how engagement can be boosted year-round. Join us!
There will be two webinars to accommodate various time zones: 12:00 PM Eastern Time (GMT -5 hours) SIGN UP HERE 6:00 PM (GMT +8 hours) SIGN UP HERE
Ruach Tova Invites IAVE Members to Their Webinar Hannah Wojno, Director, Good Deeds Day, Ruach Tova Download 60.5 Kb. Share with your friends:
|